One of the subjects this semester is Millinery with a theme of Dangerous Dames/Film Noir. Researching this era and these 'femmes fatales' has been fun and interesting and I think my favourite has to be Marlene Dietrich who just sizzles with glamour with those alluring eyes and husky voice. A cigarette and a hat were perfect props!

She doesn't have the greatest singing voice but I love 'Lili Marlene', especially the German version. You can find this on YouTube, also, follow this link to see the wonderful film clips of Marlene as "Naughty Lola" in the 1930 film The Blue Angel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIfj5OGROJw

We were asked to produce 10 designs for a hat - "think catwalk" - and then to choose 3 to take forward. Here I'll share some of my 10 ideas from my sketchbook.

playing with stitch and fabric collage!

Next are the two 'finalists' from the 10vpossibles.

thinking of a perfume spray (or poison!) and a silver bullet in the top. Well, these dames really were dangerous!!

this is a fun one, a top hat with all the things a Dangerous Dame might need - cigarettes and lighter, perfume, money, poison, a hatpin, and a little black book of phone numbers! Well, she would need to keep her hands free, I'm sure she wouldn't carry a bag!

I've chosen to do the last one as it's a fun interpretation - and quite enough of a challenge for me being my fist attempt at making a hat. I'm thinking of making it in shocking pink and black or turquoise and black ..... what do you think?? Also making it a bit more feminine with some soft sheers, lace and maybe feathers. Maybe also have to top opened a bit with some things poking out?

Or do you think I should do one of the other designs? Which one would you like to see?

I'd love to hear comments. Sometimes I wonder whether anyone sees my blog, but the stats show that the last entry was read by 185 people! So I know you're out there ..... say something even it's just hello!!!